Shuffling
by KTEW
Summary: iPod Shuffle challenge for The Glee Project. You know the deal, I turn my iPod on shuffle and write whatever comes up. Well, I have some pretty interesting songs...
1. Hiccup

**AN: So I decided to take up the iPod Shuffle challenge. For those of you who don't know what that is, I'm putting my iPod on Shuffle and writing something for whatever comes on. Granted, it has to be a _song_... I got Look Alive Sunshine, and I couldn't really do anything for that. ^^;**

**So, to start off. Pairing: Abraginty**

**Characters: McKynleigh Abraham, Damian McGinty, Ellis Wylie. Cameo appearances by Cameron Mitchell, Hannah McIalwain, and Will Schuester.**

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><p>1) Hiccup – P!nk<p>

*McKynleigh*

"You really are hopeless," Ellis said out of nowhere in her trademark bluntness, bringing my attention back to her.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

She shook her head, obviously annoyed with me. "You have a huge crush on Damian. Deny it all you want," she said, pressing her finger to my lips before I could say anything, "but it's pretty fucking obvious. You're kinda staring at him from across the room."

I didn't say anything for a moment. "I'm not denying," I muttered, pulling away.

She raised an eyebrow. "Alright then, with that said, you haven't told him yet because…?"

"I've tried," I said, sighing. "But every time I do, I wind up just asking him about this week's theme in Glee Club, or something. I can't say it."

She sighed overdramatically. "Oh, my dear, lovesick Miki." She gave me a look. "Try again. Right now. I'm requiring you to."

My eyes widened, surprised at her sudden pressuring, but I shook my head. "Not gonna happen."

"I'll pay you," she deadpanned.

"No," I said again. "I'm not doing it."

"Well then, I guess Hannah's gonna get him. No competition and all," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"What?" I asked, alarmed.

"Wait, you didn't know she likes him?" she asked, surprised. "I thought you knew that. Well, we're only proving my point! Go get him. I'm here for moral support." She stood up, pulled me out of my chair, and shoved me in his direction.

I gulped. She wasn't kidding, was she? I really did like him… But I couldn't… I sighed quietly and walked over to him, mustering up my courage. I couldn't take any chances.

"Hey, Damian?" I asked, my voice sounding strange.

He looked up. "Oh, hey, McKynleigh." God, that accent. It always killed me.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" I looked at Cameron and Hannah, who were sitting on either side of him.

He nodded. "Sure." He stood up. "Back in a minute," he told them before following me into the hallway.

I swallowed hard as he closed the door. I could barely even think straight around him, let alone say that I liked him.

"What'd you need?" he asked, smiling lightly.

"I-I, um…" I started, struggling to find the words. I felt like something was swelling in my throat.

"Hey, guys," a voice said behind me.

I turned around. Mr. Shue was standing at the door, surprisingly late. "Why are you out here?" he asked, a bit confused.

"Hi," Damian said brightly. "We were just about to go back in. We'll only take a minute."

"Okay," the curly-haired man said, shrugging. He walked into the room.

"You were saying?" Damian asked, looking at me again.

I shook my head. "Never mind." I turned away from him and walked back in, biting my lip. _Why does every time I try to tell you how I feel, it's like a hiccup comes up and it won't come out?_

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><p><strong>AN: This isn't anything like what I normally write. ^^; That's what makes it so fun! I already have the next one written out, just need to edit! ^^ And it's even more out there for me... ^^;<strong>

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	2. Talk You Down

**AN: Alright, something I didn't mention earlier: Somewhere in each chapter, usually at the end, I'll use a line from the song, but slightly changed. Like, in the last one, it was "Why does every time I try to tell you how I feel, it's like a hiccup comes up and it won't come out?", as opposed to "Why every time I try to tell you how I feel, it's like a hiccup comes up and it won't come come?"**

**Also, this is an awesome song. Go check it out if you don't know it.**

**Pairing: You'll see. ;P**

**Characters: Samuel Larsen, Emily Vasquez...**

**Genre: Romance/hurt/comfort**

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><p>2) Talk You Down – The Script<p>

*Samuel*

I stared at the phone in my hand, stuck between clutching it to my chest and throwing it at the wall.

"_I'm sorry, Sam. It just… It isn't working out. I'll talk to you later."_

I never thought she was the type to break up with someone over a phone call, let alone a voice message.

_Maybe if I'd just picked up the damn phone…_ I thought, not even having enough energy to be mad at myself.

I knew I wasn't the perfect boyfriend. I _definitely_ knew that. But whenever I did something stupid, she always just laughed it off or rolled her eyes. Whenever I said I was a bad boyfriend, she'd say she wasn't a great girlfriend, either. Which would of course lead into a long discussion that would turn into us making out on the couch. We'd had our share of fights, but nothing serious. Damian and Lindsay had had way worse, and they were still going strong. Bryce and Emily fought every other day and they were still completely in love.

So where did I go wrong?

My fingers tightened around the plastic, tears welling up in my eyes. I roughly wiped them away with the back of my calloused hand, thinking that letting them fall would be like admitting it was really over.

But it couldn't be.

My thoughts were interrupted by a sharp _buzz_, surprising me.

The phone was ringing.

"Hello?" I asked, picking it up without checking who it was and wishing my voice would stay even.

"Sam?" an accented voice asked.

"Emily?" I asked, confused, surprised, and slightly disappointed.

"Is she with you?" she asked, knowing I'd understand who she meant.

"No, why?" I answered after being silent for a moment, running my free hand through my dreads.

"When's the last time you talked to her?" She sounded worried.

I brushed her tone off and slumped back against the back of the couch. "She left a message on my phone about half an hour ago."

"Saying what?" she demanded.

"She broke up with me," I whispered, which only emphasized my hoarseness.

"Oh, shit," she breathed.

"What?" I asked, straightening up, alarmed.

"She's having a relapse," she said, her voice uncharacteristically hushed.

I froze. "_What_?" I realized something. "But last time, didn't she try to…?"

"Go find her" Emily said firmly, confirming what I'd suspected. "_Now_."

"Right," I said, jumping up and grabbing my jacket. "Thanks for the warning."

"Just keep her safe," she demanded. "Call me when you find her."

"Can do." I hung up, threw the phone onto the couch, grabbed my keys off of the counter, and ran out the door, not bothering to lock it behind me. I ran down the stairs, out of the building, and to my car, unlocked it, slid in, slammed the door shut, shoved the keys in, started it, and backed out as quickly as I could.

_Where the hell would she go?_ I thought before coming to the most obvious conclusion possible, putting the car in drive, and slamming my foot down on the gas.

I swerved through the street, practically jumping corners and thanking God it was late enough that they were clear. I ignored the street lights, knowing that there weren't going to take a picture if I ran a red.

_Maybe I can talk you down_, I thought, desperate for it to be true.

I pulled up to the wide, cement-and-rock bridge, slammed down on the brake, and shoved it into park. I threw the door open, jumped out, slammed it shut, and sprinted to where I barely managed to make her out, standing on the edge, her arms spread out, her hair lifting off of her back in the slight breeze.

"Marissa!" I yelled.

She looked back, surprised. "Sam?"

I skidded to a stop behind her. "Don't jump," I whispered, panting slightly, looking up at her, pleading with my eyes.

She looked shocked, then almost hurt. It turned into something close to panic before she sobbed quietly, tears welling up in her eyes.

I reached up and gently placed my hands on her waist. I carefully picked her up and maneuvered my arms so I was carrying her like a child, her head on my shoulder. She wrapped her arms around my neck, her tears landing on my skin.

"I'm sorry," she managed. "I-I don't know what happened. I-"

"Shhh," I whispered in her ear. "It'll be okay." I gently squeezed her for a moment. "We can get you help. Just promise you'll never scare me like this again."

She nodded, tightening her arms.

"Good," I said quietly, smiling.

_Because if you go, I_ go.

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><p><strong>AN: This is sad, but sweet... It's not at all what I normally write. Like, <em>at all<em>. But I'm noticeably prouder of this one than the last.**

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	3. Find the Beat Again

**AN: Alright, this is more like what I normally write. ^^;**

**Pairing: Samnah**

**Characters: Hannah McIalwain and Samuel Larsen. Cameos by: Damian McGinty and Marissa Von Bleicken.**

3) Find the Beat Again – Sugarland

*Hannah*

"_Sam_," I sang, leaning into the boy next to me, my best friend. He ignored me, which prompted me to poke his side. "_Sam_," I sang again, louder, more insistent.

He looked at me through half-closed eyes, not turning his head, annoyed.

"What's wrong?" I asked, noting the way he was slumped over, his dreads blocking half of his face. He'd been like that all week. He'd barely even talked to me.

"You know perfectly well," he grumbled.

"Awww!" I cooed, wrapping my arms around him. "It's okay! So she likes Damian, so what?"

He looked down at the pair, Damian's arm around Marissa's shoulders. "So it hurts."

"But Sammy!" I said, pouting. "I tried to tell you, but you ignored me!"

"Don't call me that," he complained.

"But I like calling you that!" I countered, knowing I sounded about five and not really minding. But, normally, when I called him that, he'd just roll his eyes.

"Please," he said, firmer, though his eyes were sad.

I sighed, letting go, my shoulders slumping. "C'mon, Sam, cheer up. You're gonna need to get over her."

"What if I don't want to?" he asked, his expression harder.

"Sam, come on." I folded my arms across my chest. "It's been a week. You can't do this to yourself." I thought a moment. "Brighten up or, so help me, I will tickle you to death."

"What?" he asked, alarmed.

I held up my hands and wiggled my fingers in front of his face, smirking slightly. "Do you renounce your depressed, angsty ways?"

He slowly moved away from me, eyes surprisingly wide for him, not answering.

I pursed my lips, annoyed, before lunging at him, digging my fingers into his stomach and making the rest of the class stare at us, wondering what the heck was going on.

"Hannah!" he complained, struggling and failing not to laugh. "Get off!"

"No!" I said firmly, not stopping. "Not until you lighten up!"

"Alright, alright, I surrender!" he cried, his voice high, managing to push me off of him. "Dear God!" He gasped for breath, clutching his stomach. "You're scary when you wanna be!"

I looked at him strangely, wondering if he actually thought I was trying to be scary. I stood up, brushed myself off, and sat back down.

"I get it if you're not over her right away," I said quietly as everyone resumed their conversations, used to my insanity by now, "you just need to be open to _getting_ over her. Or else you're gonna be like this for the rest of your life." I thought a moment. "The rest of the year, at least."

He sighed. "I know, I know. I'm open. I'm trying to be, at least."

I smiled. "Good." I lightly punched his shoulder.

He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Oh, Hannah." He smiled softly, leaned over, and kissed my cheek. "This is why I love you."

I giggled, my face heating up.

_Well, hey, things are looking better now._

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><p><strong>AN: Review!<strong>


	4. Almost

**AN: Pairing: Camrissa**

**Characters: Cameron Mitchell, mentions of all other contestants with a highlight on Marissa Von Bleicken**

**Genre: drama or hurt/comfort... not sure which fits better**

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><p>4) Almost – Bowling for Soup<p>

*Cameron*

I flipped through my yearbook. It was the day before my junior year of high school and I was _not_ looking forward to going back.

"Oh, Hannah…" I muttered, smiling at the face she was making. I couldn't wait to see her and Damian again, but there were people I definitely could.

I closed and opened it to a random page. Emily was in mid-hair flip. _It suits her_, I thought, smiling.

One person could most certainly go without seeing was Alicia Lopez. She was more like Santana's cousin than Emily would ever be. HBIC status and all.

I closed it and opened it again. I rolled my eyes as I saw Alex's picture. He was still after Damian, even after the intervention everyone else had done last year.

I could also obvious go without seeing the Karofskys. For the rest of my life. All of that complaining by the seniors a couple of years ago only for them to graduate right before Dave's two little brothers took his place.

I closed and opened it again. Matheus was winking at the camera, something that had made everyone facepalm the first time they saw the picture.

Close. Open. Lindsay was giving the camera her thousand-watt smile. I would say it was funny if she wouldn't beat me into the ground for it.

Close. Open. Ellis was practically smirking, countering the fuzzy white hat on her head. A perfect representation of her.

Close. Open. McKynleigh had died her hair red for the occasion, standing out against her skin almost comically. The cowboy hat didn't help.

Close. Open. Samuel had his hair up in a ponytail and was barely smiling, but it worked for him.

Close. Open. Bryce was sticking his tongue out, something that had made all of us laugh and surprised the rest of the school, who thought we was a jerk.

Close. Open.

Marissa.

I sighed and closed the book, not opening it again. I could wait to see her, too.

I'd liked her for a while. But on the last week of the year, we'd gotten into a huge fight over something I couldn't even remember and stopped talking to each other. And then Lindsay had yelled at me for 'starting it', because apparently Marissa had really liked me, too, and now she hated me.

I groaned, flopping onto my back. There was no way she liked me. Absolutely none. She was too… perfect. She should be with someone like Damian, not me. For God's sake, I'd barely thought about anything else for the first half of summer.

I felt something under my back, reached for it, and pulled out a piece of paper partially covered in my barely-legible scrawl.

_I almost had you, I just guess that doesn't cut it  
>I almost had you, but I didn't even know it<em>

I sighed, crumpled it up, and threw it in the general direction of my trashcan.

_Hey, Mars. I almost wrote a song about you today, but I crumpled it up and threw it away._

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><p><strong>AN: I'm not a huge Camrissa supporter, but this kinda depresses me. :( But I do need to get used to depressing for a couple of arcs in TMN.<strong>

**I've said too much.**

**Also, the first person to review any chapter of this story will get to decide the ship for my Valentine's Day special. (Please note it has to be a substantial review, not just a ship name.)**


	5. Hate On Me

**AN: Pairing: Von Pearce/Larissa**

**Characters: Marissa Von Bleicken, Lindsay Pearce, Hannah McIalwain**

**Genre: romance/friendship...?**

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><p>5) Hate on Me – Jill Scott<p>

*Marissa*

"Hey, Lindsay," I said, smiling as I sat next to the brunette.

She frowned. "Hi," she muttered, turning away.

I bit my lip. She didn't like me, I knew that much. I just didn't know why.

"Cookie?" I asked hopefully, holding out the Ziploc bag in my hands.

She looked back and shook her head. "No thanks."

I sighed and took one out. I'd heard she liked peanut butter, so I'd made a batch. I wasn't the kind of girl who would freak out if anyone didn't like me, I just needed to know _why_ that person didn't like me.

I took a bite. It was good. I hadn't had any yet, since I'd stayed up way too late baking them and we weren't allowed to eat in class.

"Hey, Marissa?"

I looked up to see Hannah looking at me with wide eyes. She looked at the bag, then back up at me, smiling hopefully.

I laughed and held it out to her. "Go ahead."

She beamed, took two, and passed it back. "Thanks!"

"No prob," I said, smiling as I put it next to my backpack.

"C'mon, Linds," Hannah said cajolingly. I looked over to see her waving one of the cookies under the other girl's nose. "You know you want one."

The smaller girl rolled her eyes. "Not really."

"But, Lindsay, it's your favorite kind!" she said, pouting.

I dug around in my bag and found my book, pretending to read it while munching on my cookie so they didn't think I was eavesdropping.

"_No_, Hannah," Lindsay said firmly, not needing to add a _drop it_.

Hannah sighed over dramatically. "Well, more for me." She bit into one of them and beamed. "Hey, these are really good, Marissa!"

"Thanks," I said, smiling. "I try."

She laughed quietly and took another bite. Lindsay had her arms crossed over her chest, frowning.

I sighed and turned the page, wishing I could stop thinking about it. No matter what I did, she always seemed mad at me.

_I can't do this_, I thought, giving up and setting my book on the ground. "Hey, Lindsay?" I asked, turning to her.

"Hm?" she asked, looking over.

"Can I talk to you?" I asked, shifting in my seat uncomfortably.

She looked at me strangely, but shrugged. "Sure."

I stood up and walked down the steps to the ground, knowing she was following. I walked out the door and slightly leaned against the wall of the luckily empty hallway.

"What do you need?" she asked, imitating my position.

"Why don't you like me?" I asked, not beating around the bush.

She looked surprised. "Who said I didn't like you?"

"It's pretty obvious," I said, shrugging. "You avoid me, you blow me off, and you don't take anything I offer you."

She bit her lip, hesitating for a moment before reaching up, grabbing my collar, pulling me down, and pressing her lips to mine.

She pulled away, let go, and shrugged. "That's why," she said simply, smirking slightly before slipping back into the classroom, leaving me staring blankly at the spot she'd been standing in.

After a moment, I smiled lightly and gently touched my bottom lip.

_Well then, go ahead and hate me._

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><p><strong>AN: I'm surprised how easy it was to make this a ship song. XD Sooooooooo... Von Pearce... Still not exactly my OTP, but I appreciate it. And it fit the song.<strong>

**Review!**


	6. Like Other Girls

**AN: Pairing: Damsay**

**Characters: Lindsay Pearce, Ellis Wylie, and Hannah McIalwain with mentions of Damian McGinty**

**Genre: friendship/humor**

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><p>6) Like Other Girls – Mulan 2<p>

*Lindsay*

My parents expected a lot out of me… After all, my mom was a relatively popular actress and my dad was a small-time director. I really loved acting and singing, but sometimes I just wanted to let it go. To be like a normal kid.

"You two are so lucky," I said, watching my two best friends eat.

"What do you mean?" Ellis asked, confused.

"Well, you don't have to eat salads every day," I started, stabbing my fork into the lettuce.

"What's wrong with salads?" Hannah asked, shrugging.

"Linds, you're pretty much famous," Ellis pointed out. "You don't think we want that?"

I gave her a look. "I'm not famous. My mom is."

"Still," Hannah said, stealing a cookie from Ellis's plate and making the smaller girl swat at her. "It'd be cool."

I sighed. "You'd think. You aren't pressured into anything you don't wanna do."

"Not true!" Ellis exclaimed, looking at me like I was crazy. "Two words: debate club." She ran her hand through her hair, pushing it away from her sparsely-freckled face. "Worst after-school activity ever."

"Hey!" Hannah, one of the leaders, complained.

Ellis shrugged. "No offense, but it's true."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, well, I'm in five clubs and every single play or show this school has."

"I wish I was in every play!" Ellis said. "I audition for everything and always get stuck playing some five year old, if anything!"

"And I'm always stuck as an extra," Hannah added. "If you haven't noticed, not many leads are size extra large. You always get a main part."

I shrugged. "I know, but I'm always so busy. I have to keep a 4.5 GPA and practice all of my lines or parts every night and always look my best…"

The two of them shared a look.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"That's not the only reason you have to look your best," Ellis said, smirking.

"Because, eh hem," Hannah started, delicately clearing her throat before the two of them jumped into half-assed song together.

"_Lindsay has a boyfriend, Lindsay has a boyfriend!_"

I rolled my eyes. "Look, just because you two can't man up enough to ask your crushes out…"

Ellis smacked my arm. "Hey, that's below the belt!"

"Well, she did say we weren't manning up enough," Hannah said matter-of-factly, making all three of us burst out laughing.

"And they say _I_ take things too literally," I said, rolling my eyes.

"You do," Ellis said, pointing at me with the cookie she'd managed to take back. "Anyway, don't you have a date with him tonight?"

"Yes," I admitted, smiling.

Hannah beamed. "Ooh, get some, girl!"

I facepalmed. "Hannah!"

The two of them were laughing too hard to respond.

I shook my head, unable to wipe the smile from my face. I couldn't wait to see Damian tonight. He was sweet, and cute, and funny. He made me feel… normal. Like other girls.

_How could I ever ask for more?_

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><p><strong>AN: Damsay... The word alone... Oy. But the song fit Lindsay and I thought it'd work well with Damian.<strong>

**I just realized I've only made one of these without mentioning Hannah. OTL**

**Review!**


	7. Rhythm of Love

**AN: Pairing: Camerah**

**Characters: Cameron Mitchell, Hannah McIalwain, Lindsay Pearce, cameos of Matheus Fernandes, Bryce Ross-Johnson, Ellis Wylie, and Emily Vasquez**

**Genre: romance/humor/friendship**

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><p>7) Rhythm of Love – Plain White T's<p>

*Cameron*

"Cameron!"

I jumped and looked back to see Hannah pursing her lips. "You zoned out again," she chastised quietly, swatting my arm.

"Hey," I complained, rubbing the spot. "That hurt."

She rolled her eyes. "Cam, if you don't listen when Lindsay's talking, she's gonna start all over."

I looked up to see the brunette standing in front of the class, talking about something to do with costumes. Oh. I was wondering why she was whispering.

"Sorry," I apologized, trying to pay attention to the other girl and failing miserably.

I looked over at Hannah and saw her looking back at me. I made a face, making her cover her mouth to keep from laughing.

A moment later, she leaned over. "The Lindsay channel," she said in my ear. "All Lindsay, all the time."

I laughed, covering it as best as I could, and just managed to catch the tail end of what the smaller girl was saying.

"And, with that said, I feel like we should make out own outfits for regionals," she finished. She nodded to the class and went back to her seat.

Several people sighed with relief, but she didn't seem to notice. After a brief introduction from Mr. Schue, Bryce and Ellis went up and started singing a jazz number I didn't know. It was duets week and, in the true Mr. Schue fashion, we'd pulled partners out of hats. All I could tell was that it was a love song, which couldn't have made Matheus and Emily happy. I looked over to see her scowling, obviously jealous, and him looking mildly depressed. Those two needed to man up and ask them out.

I sighed and decided I'd deal with that later. Well, Hannah would, knowing her. I let the music wash over me. It was a good song. Not very fast, but upbeat.

I looked over when I felt pressure on my arm. Hannah had hers wrapped around it and was wearing a surprisingly soft expression for her. She seemed absorbed in the sound until she noticed me looking, met my eyes, and stuck her tongue out at me, smiling.

I chuckled quietly. "Hey, Han?" I asked a minute later, as the song was finishing.

"Yeah?" she asked, smiling.

"Wanna come over tonight?" The first time _she'd _asked _me_ that, I'd panicked. But now we were both kind of used to it. "My parents aren't gonna be home."

She raised an eyebrow, surprised and amused.

"Not like that!" I said quickly.

She burst out laughing. "Yeah, Cam. Sounds good."

I smiled as Matheus and McKynleigh started singing a dance number and Hannah took my hand.

_We might only have tonight, but until the sun shines, you're mine._

_All mine._

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><p><strong>AN: Don't hate me for poking a little fun at Lindsay. It was needed. Anyway, I was thinking about making some of these into two or three shots... Tell me if you're interested.<strong>

**Review!**


	8. Are You Lonesome Tonight?

**AN: Pairing: Damrissa**

**Characters: Marissa Von Bleicken, Damian McGinty, mentions of pretty much everyone else**

**Genre: romance/drama?**

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><p>8) Are You Lonesome Tonight? – Damian McGinty<p>

*Marissa*

I looked around the apartment and sighed. I was all alone, again. Ever since Damian had rejoined Celtic Thunder, he'd been gone more than ever. Adding that to his role on Glee barely let him come home.

So he'd broken up with me.

It wasn't too bad. I missed him, but I managed. I'd started dating a bit again. Sam and I had gone out for a couple of weeks, but it didn't really click. Now he was with McKynleigh, which had surprised everyone a bit until they saw how well they worked together. Cameron had been really sweet, but there was just no… spark. He was with Hannah, who appreciated his nerdiness more than I could. Bryce was faithful to Emily, no matter how much of a lady's man he seemed to be. Alex wasn't exactly interested and Matheus was… well, Matheus. Not to mention that his crush on the ever-so-oblivious Ellis was twice as big as he was.

I sighed again. I really did miss Damian.

I immediately straightened up, surprised, as I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.

"Hello?" I asked, picking it up without checking caller ID.

"Hey, Marissa?" an accented voice asked.

"Damian?" I said, surprised. Well, think of the devil.

"Of course," he said. I could hear the smile in his voice. "Who else has this wonderful accent?"

I rolled my eyes. "Just you, luckily. Or things would get pretty confusing. So, why'd you call?"

"I'm on my way back."

"Seriously?" I asked, shocked. He wasn't due back for at least another week.

"Yep! Keith said… something about getting me home in time for… something, so I'll be back tomorrow morning!"

"In time for what?" I asked, confused.

"No idea," he admitted.

"Right…" I muttered. "So, have you told everyone else yet?"

"No, you're the first one I called."

I did a double take. "Why?" I'd automatically assumed he'd call Cameron or Hannah first.

"I don't know." Something in his voice had changed. "You were just the first person I thought of."

"Oh," I said, confused. "That makes… sense, I guess." Not really. "Well, I guess you'd better go call everyone else."

I pulled the phone away from my ear and had my thumb hovering over the end call button before I heard, "Hang on!"

"Yeah?" I asked, holding it back up to my ear but not moving my thumb.

"I think I'm staying this time."

"Really?" _Don't sound too excited, Marissa._

"Well, it depends…"

"On what?" I expected something like _If Daniel starts yelling at me again._

"Do you miss me?"

I froze. "What?"

"Do you miss me?" His voice was a bit less confident the second time.

I hesitated a moment before admitting, "Yeah. A lot."

I knew he was smiling. "Then I'm not leaving again. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah," I said, trying not to grin. "See you then." I hung up.

_He shall come back again_, I thought, smiling as I picked up my iPod and played his cover of a certain song for the millionth time.

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><p><strong>AN: Damrissa's not my favorite, but I figured, since it was Damian's cover, I should probably use him, and I mulled over the girl a while before deciding on Marissa. Cameron was a close second. XD<strong>

**Don't flame for the side couples, please. It was a quick decision and I need my Mathellis fix from _somewhere_. .**

**Review!**


	9. Around the World

**AN: Pairing: Samrissa/Marissam**

**Characters: Marissa Von Bleicken, Samuel Larsen, mentions of Matheus Fernandes**

**Genre: romance/humor?**

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><p>9) Around the World – ATC<p>

*Marissa*

I let the pencil glide over the paper, both lightly gripped in my hands, my eyes closed. I had my earbuds in and was listening to pop techno – something Lindsay had introduced me to – which was apparently great for my artistic inspiration.

"What are you doing?" a confused voice asked.

I opened my eyes and looked over my shoulder to see Samuel staring at my paper. "Drawing," I said, shrugging.

"With your eyes closed," he added, dumbfounded. "How do you _do_ that?"

I shrugged again, looking at the picture in front of me. It was a surprisingly good one of a butterfly I'd never seen before. I took my earbuds out. "What are you doing here, anyway? Don't you have history?" I had a free period, so I was sitting in the library.

"I'm ditching," he said easily, slipping into the seat next to me. "We have a sub whom I happen to know is a judgmental bitch who will ask if I'm 'smoking weed with my buddies after school', so…" He waved his hand in a way that said _you know the rest_.

"She's judgmental and thinks you're a delinquent, so you're _skipping her class_?" I asked, one eyebrow raised.

He gently smacked my arm. "Shut up. Better to prove her right than endure it for an hour and a half."

"True," I muttered, knowing how the stereotypes felt. I'd been a cheerleader for two years, so I was automatically perceived as a bitchy idiot.

"Hey, are you doing anything tonight?" he asked, pushing his dreads behind his ear and looking at the table more than me.

I raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Are you asking me out?"

He blushed slightly, something that anyone who didn't know him wouldn't even have been able to see, but that I'd never seen him do before. "Depends, are you saying yes?"

I tried to hide my smile behind my hand. "Depends, where?"

"My friend's having a party," he explained, still avoiding my eyes. "No one you know."

I frowned. "I swear, if it's a rave–"

"It's not a rave!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "I don't go to raves! I'm swear, I'm gonna kill Matheus for saying that!" He thought a moment. "Or I can just go around calling him Matty. I think that's better, actually."

I giggled a bit, knowing how much he hated being called that. "Sure."

He looked at me, surprised. "What?"

"I'll go out with you," I said casually, managing to keep myself from grinning as I put one earbud back in.

He looked shocked, but ecstatic. Which was _really_ weird for him. He gently cleared his throat, his calmness returning. "Awesome. I'll pick you up at eight?"

I nodded. It was a Friday, after all.

He smiled a bit. "Cool. Hey, what are you listening to?"

I hit the play button and handed him the other earbud. Tonight would be fun.

I touched my pencil back to the paper, letting my inspiration flow.

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><p><strong>AN: Samrissa FTW! ^^<strong>

**Review!**


	10. Know Your Enemy

**AN: I'm warning you, I kinda indulge myself here. Two of my favorite pairings rolled into one.**

**Pairings: Mathellis/McTheus**

**Characters: Ellis Wylie, McKynleigh Abraham, Matheus Fernandes**

**Genre: drama/friendship**

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><p>10) Know Your Enemy – American Idiot Cast<p>

*Ellis*

I looked across the room at McKynleigh, who, until last week, had been my best friend. We'd been "besties" since kindergarten, when I'd threatened to beat up a couple of kids who were picking on her – which, in hindsight, is pretty ironic. I'd gotten in trouble, but there was a sort of automatic bond formed.

I felt like we were both overreacting… But I couldn't bring myself to talk to her about it. It was just so… awkward. This was the first time anything like this had ever happened to us. We're had our share of fights, sure, but never over a _person_. What made it kind of funny was who it was. Whenever anyone would think of fighting over a guy, they'd think of Cameron or Damian. Maybe Sam or Bryce.

Not Matheus.

_What happened to never letting a guy take over my life?_ I thought, mildly annoyed. _What's so different about him?_

I didn't know why I liked him. He was just… kind of adorable. And really nice, and funny, and smart, and had an awesome voice… I sighed quietly, fixing the oversized bow in my hair just to keep my hands busy. I was hopeless. I seriously couldn't stop thinking about him. His weird little giggle of a laugh, his ridiculous dancing, the way his glasses – when he actually wore them, instead of just crashing into things – made his eyes look way bigger than they actually were, the one time we'd all called him emo because he swept his bangs over and wore earrings, his tattoos, his freaking _six pack_…

I groaned and tilted my head back too quickly, hitting it on the wall. Hard. I gently rubbed the spot and looked back at Miki. She had a book in her lap, but I could tell she wasn't reading. Her shoulders were too tense and I could tell from all the way across the room that her eyes were glazed over.

_She's an enemy, isn't she? _I thought before quickly shaking my head and coming full circle back to the conclusion that I was overreacting. I was being ridiculous. She was still my best friend, after all. I didn't know who could even begin to take her place.

As soon as I thought that, she looked over and seemed surprised to find me all but staring at her. I managed a little smile, making her force one back. It was better than nothing.

The door creaked open, drawing my attention to it. Matheus walked in, surprisingly late, and looked relieved when he didn't see Mr. Schue. He looked up and his eyes automatically went to me, making an uncomfortable heat rise up to my cheeks. He looked between Miki and me, confused, but shrugged and sat down next to Samuel.

I bit my lip, feeling an overwhelming urge to just get up and talk to him. But I didn't know how Miki would react to that…

I shook my head, pushing the thought away, gathered up my courage, stood up, and walked over.

"Hey, Matheus?"

_After all, silence is the enemy…_

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><p><strong>AN: So this is an awesome song... Seriously, it is. Also, this has a surprising amount of TMN references... See if you can spot them! ;D<strong>

**Review!**


	11. From My Head to My Heart

**AN: Um... This one's not quite... "romantic" in the sense of how I normally write it, but... I'm going with it! ^^;**

**Pairing: Camrissa... ish**

**Characters: Cameron Mitchel, Damian McGinty, mentions of Marissa von Bliecken**

**Genre: drama/friendship/romance?**

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><p>11) From My Head to My Heart – Evan and Jaron<p>

*Cameron*

Marissa was… perfect. She was beautiful and smart and unbelievably kind and had been one of my best friends since kindergarten and now, apparently, she liked me. It all made perfect sense, really. Everything pointed to us being together, but I couldn't bring myself to go out with her – not that she'd directly asked me yet, thank God. I just didn't feel anything, no matter how obvious it seemed that I should.

I sighed and pushed my hair out of my face. I was sure it wound up even messier than it had been – it always did – but I didn't care. I just needed to figure this out before she actually _did_ ask me.

"Hey, Cam!" Damian, another one of my best friends, said brightly, sitting next to me. "What are you reading?"

"Hey, Damo." I tried to focus on the book in front of me enough to remember what it was. I'd been sitting there for a good fifteen minutes, not turning the page, pretending to read so I didn't get in trouble for daydreaming. I gave up. "Um, nothing important."

He raised an eyebrow, but easily shrugged it off. "What's up?"

I sighed. "Marissa," I grumbled.

He cocked his head to one side. "Um, what about her?"

"She likes me." I let the book fall, crossed my arms on the table, and all but slammed my forehead onto them.

"Oh, you two would be a good couple!" Damian said happily, making me groan.

"Exactly," I muttered, fully aware that my words were harder to make out through the table. "It seems like we'd work out so well together, but… I just… can't."

"Well, why not?" he asked, confused.

"I don't know!" I exclaimed. I sighed and set my chin on my arms. "I just don't feel anything for her. More than platonically, at least."

"Ah," Damian said in an understanding way, like he had any idea what I was talking about or, better yet, had been through it, too. Which, I knew from experience, he hadn't. "I get it."

"You do?" I asked, disbelieving. The only girl to ever like him, as far as I knew, at least, was his ex-girlfriend, Jenna. And this most certainly didn't happen with her.

"Enough," he said, shrugging and decreasing my confidence a lot more than he should have.

"That's a no," I deadpanned.

"Is not!" he protested. "One of my old friends went though this. Just say you don't feel the same way. Easy."

"How is that easy?" I half-yelled, trying to keep my voice down.

"Trust me," he said almost soothingly.

I sighed again, thinking it through. What other option was there? We could still be friends, as bad as that sounded…

I stood up. "I'll see you later, Damo." I shoved my hands in my pockets and walked out the door.

_Well, maybe if I get there and she still wants me, too, we can see it through._

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><p><strong>AN: Yeah, I feel Camrissa's the most "logical" couple, so... Ta da.<strong>

**I swear, the first person who says Mathellis is more logical because they're both short... -.- I actually think those two are rather compatible! And in a different way, instead of the perfect couple, like Camrissa. That's why I'm kinda neutral to it...**

**In other news, I joined a roleplay! It's at the-glee-project-rp on tumblr and I _really_ need a Matheus. :( Guys, please... My Ellis just had a miniature breakdown... And is about to find out her crush is in the closet. _Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease!_**

**But Bryce, McKynleigh, Alex, and Hannah are also available! ^^**

**Review!**


	12. Seasons of Love

**AN: This song... Such a graduation song, God. OTL Why do I even have this?**

**Oh, wait. Because it's amazing. (And I had to perform it in December.)**

**Pairings: Camerah, Abraginty, Bremily, Mathellis, Samrissa**

**Characters: all**

**Genre: friendship/drama/romance**

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><p>12) Seasons of Love – Rent<p>

*Marissa*

I looked around, still finding it hard to believe. We were graduating. All twelve of us. Luckily for Mr. Schue, we'd managed to recruit fourteen new members, all of whom would be at the ceremony to watch us go.

I adjusted my robe as I searched for the eleven people I'd grown so close to these past four years. I found Damian and McKynleigh talking to and laughing with Cameron and Hannah, the boys' arms around their girlfriends' waists. Both couples had gotten together in our sophomore year and were still going strong. It helped that the four of them had become debatably the most closely knit of all of us. Damian and Cameron were planning on living together when they went to college, as were McKynleigh and Hannah, though the boys were going to one school and the girls to another. They swore to stay in touch, though. And I didn't find it as hard to believe as I thought I would.

Bryce and Emily were in the back corner, talking, not making out like most people would assume. Those two had been together the longest out of any of us, since nearly the beginning of our freshman year. He brushed her hair out of her face. She rolled her eyes and said something that apparently required her to flip it back behind her shoulder, anyway. He laughed before his expression softened and he wrapped his arms around her. She looked a bit caught off guard, but smiled and hugged him back. It was a surprisingly sweet moment for them, something most of the school wouldn't have believed if it came from the gossip column itself. I understood why it was happening, though. They were going to school on opposite sides of the country, although they were both moving to New York afterwards. They said they'd stay in touch, but I knew it'd be hard for them.

Matheus and Ellis were sitting against one of the walls, making them look even smaller than they actually were. Those two had taken what was by far the longest time to realized they liked each other – until halfway through this year, thanks to Ellis's stubbornness on the fact that "Just because we're short doesn't mean have to date!" and Matheus's full-on denial. She sighed, knees pulled up to her chest, pushing her hair behind her ear as she spoke. He said something that made her smile sadly before looking mildly offended, but more amused, and smacking him upside the head. He flinched, but smiled back and said something else that made her burst out laughing. They were going to different schools, but they were close enough that they'd still get to see each other every now and again.

Alex and Lindsay were standing near the stage, as expected, and talking with far more animation than anyone else. Those two wound up single, thanks to Lindsay's so-called independence (although she seemed to have a thing for a fellow graduate and singer by the name of AJ) and the lack of any "suitable", openly gay or bisexual guys. They were both going to a theater school I'd never heard of.

I looked around again. There was only one person missing…

"Hey, Mars."

I jumped before turning around and punching Samuel's arm with enough force to get a satisfying, "Ow…"

"Don't do that!" I scolded, arms folded across my chest, though I couldn't help smiling.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say. Maybe I should do this instead?" He leaned down and pressed his lips against mine, making me roll my eyes right back at him. The two of us were going to Ohio U together on scholarships – mine academic, his football.

And I couldn't help but think that today might not be so bad. After all, we were celebrating a year in the life of friends.

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><p><strong>AN: Sad... But good, in my mind... :P<strong>

**Alright, more shameless advertising! If you join by next Wednesday, you get to see me, dressed as a bumblebee, doing the Charleston in a Barnes & Noble (don't ask OTL). 8D**

**Please join, you guys... :(**

**And review! ^^**


	13. Play

**AN: Yes, she lives! She was grounded, but she lives! 8D Will be uploading quickly until the end of the week, but please don't yell at me when you see things for another fandom...**

**Pairings: Bremily, slightly Samrissa**

**Characters: Emily Vasquez, Bryce Vine/Ross-Johnson, Marissa von Bliecken, cameo by Samuel Larsen**

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><p>13) Play – Jennifer Lopez<p>

*Emily*

I smirked, walking into the club with my best friend next to me. She was in the process of getting over some douche who'd dumped her after finding out about her… questionable past. The moron obviously didn't realize why that'd happened in the first place.

"Em, are you sure about this?" she asked, fiddling with the hem of the sleeveless dress I'd convinced her to wear.

I scoffed. "Mars, I'm always serious about coming here. You should know this by now."

She sighed. "Alright, fine. But I'm not going stripper pole like half the girls here." She was glancing around as she said that. And she was right.

"Fine by me," I said, walking to the middle of the dance floor, with her following me. "It's better, actually. Then the guys don't go after you for it. After all, you don't know how to fend them off. Yet." I grinned evilly, making her roll her eyes.

"Right." She bobbed her head to the music, seemingly trying to find the beat, only for the song to change.

I immediately recognized it and grinned. "Be right back." I ran over to the turntables – the place was old-fashioned, but I liked that – and quickly sized up the DJ. He was pretty tall, and black, but on the light side. He had a noticeably wide nose, broad shoulders, and a beanie pulled over his black hair, as well as round, ghetto-looking earrings, but he was cute. Probably the cutest guy there.

I walked up to him, making sure my hips were swaying, and leaned up on my toes, arms on the table that was nearly the same height as me, thanks to the platform. "Hey, you mind turning that up?" I fluttered my eyelashes, smiling suggestively.

He raised an eyebrow, amused, and did. I was surprised he didn't say anything back, but I let it go and started dancing, not going back to where I had been. Mars would be fine and this guy was interesting.

I frowned when the song was over. It had turned into some Screamo song I'd never heard and already found annoying. I walked back over to him.

"You aren't the regular DJ," I said, saying the first thing that came to mind, as usual. I knew three and he wasn't on that list.

He shook his head. "Nah, there was a wedding, a band gig, and a car crash all in the same day. They're paying me thirty bucks an hour, which is a lot more than I normally make."

His voice caught me off guard. I'd never heard anything quite like it. "Say, I don't suppose you'll play that last song again?" I asked, leaning on the table again and flipping my hair behind my shoulder.

He shrugged, smiling. "Sorry, but I have requests." He picked up a sheet of paper and held it out so I could see the twenty-something songs listed.

I pursed my lips, trying to think of a way to convince him. That was my favorite song and I'd never heard it there before. I grinned, thinking of one. "Maybe there's something I can do?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not sleeping with you for a song."

I burst out laughing. "God, no. I have a friend getting over a guy. I think you might be just the one to help her."

He looked amused. "Maybe I have a girlfriend."

I scoffed. "Oh, please. You don't. I can tell."

He smirked. "Well then, maybe I'm interested in someone else."

I pretended to be surprised, looking behind me, then pointing to myself. "Moi?"

He chuckled. "Oh, I don't know. I get off at 2, you gonna be around then?"

I grinned evilly. "Sure, if you play that song."

He rolled his eyes, but, sure enough, the current song was ending and he switched it out for mine.

"I'm Emily, by the way," I said, already nodding my head to the music.

He grinned. "Bryce."

I winked at him, spun back out onto the dance floor, and went back to dancing. I glimpsed Marissa out of the corner of my eye, dancing with a guy I'd seen a couple of times before, with dreadlocks and too many piercings. But he seemed nice enough for me to not worry.

I smiled, caught Bryce's eye, and sent him another wink. This was a bit new to me, but it felt so right it couldn't be wrong.

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><p><strong>AN: I like Bremily, m'kay? :P Besides, with this song... It's... Yeah. ^^;<strong>

**Review!**


	14. Jaded

**AN: don't like this one. XP I didn't know what to do with this song.**

**Pairing: slight Camrissa**

**Characters: Lindsay Pearce. McKynleigh Abraham, mentions Cameron Mitchell**

**Genre: drama/friendship...? I don't even know.**

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><p>14) Jaded – Aerosmith<p>

*Lindsay*

I sighed, hanging upside-down from my bed by my knees, my head touching the ground. I was completely bored. It'd been like that for a while now. Everyone had literally been giving me everything I wanted. It sounded like a dream come true, but it just sort of sucked the life out of me.

Take Cameron as an example. He was a great boyfriend, really. Maybe a little too much of one. Flowers? Check. Candy? Check. Anything else I could possibly ask for? Check.

It just made everything so dull. I used to have so much passion for everything – especially theater – but now, with everyone always telling me how far I'll get, no one standing in my way, or even proposing to slight possibility I might not get what I want, I had nothing to fight against. Nothing to work towards. Nothing I needed to accomplish.

My parents pushed me to do my best, and always said they expected nothing but la crème du la crème, but, in reality, they'd praise me no matter what I did.

I didn't know how McKynleigh did it. She got the highest test scores, a good percentage of the solos in Glee Club, and the ever-so-honorable position of junior class president, and was one of the nicest people around, yet was still so… effervescent, even though there was literally no way to improve. In my opinion, at least. She was always talking about how she could do better. Work harder, sing better, do a better job of all-but-running the school. She even had a job, though she definitely didn't need it. Her family was pretty freaking well off. But the job didn't pay, anyway. She volunteered at an animal shelter, or something.

I automatically sat up. That was it! Volunteer work. It was something I could never really be the best at, it would take up time and energy, and it would give me something to work towards. It sounded like every teenage girl's worst nightmare, but it was exactly what I needed.

I grabbed my purse, rummaged trough for my phone, found it, turned it on, and hit the 7 for speed dial.

"Hey, Miki!" I said overly-cheerfully when she picked up. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor. …No, it doesn't involve money. …No, please don't say you'd do anything for me, I really don't wanna hear it. …I didn't mean it offensively! Sheesh! I just want to know where you work. …Really? 'Kay, thanks! Talk to you later." I hung up, smiling.

_I'm so jaded, but they're the ones who jaded me_, I thought, writing the name down. I'd go tomorrow.

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><p><strong>AN: *awkward cough* Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah...<strong>

**Review~**


	15. Misery Business

**AN: Indulgence warning. ^^;**

**Pairings: BryKynleigh, Mathellis**

**Characters: McKynleigh Abraham, Ellis Wylie, Matheus Fernandes, Bryce Vine/Ross-Johnson, Emily Vasquez, cameos by Damian McGinty, Samuel Larsen, Lindsay Pearce, and Marissa von Bleicken**

**Genre: romance/friendship/humor**

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><p>15) Misery Business – Paramore<p>

*McKynleigh*

Something like half of the school thought I was a total bitch and/or slut and most of the other half thought I was badass. And I really couldn't care less. I'd been head over heels for Bryce practically since I'd met him, about halfway through last year, when he'd finally given up on other people's opinions and joined Glee Club. However, he'd been dating someone else for quite some time. So I'd waited patiently – alright, somewhat patiently – until they broke up over summer. Long story short, we were now known as the caramel couple.

"Hey, Miki," Matheus half-yelled, running into the room and all but jumping behind me. "Save me," he whimpered.

"From what?" I asked, confused.

"MATHEUS FUCKING FERNANDES, GET BACK HERE!" a girl half the size of her voice yelled, running in.

I chuckled. "Hey, Ellis. What'd he do this time?"

"Nothing!" he squeaked, still hiding behind my chair.

"NOTHING?" she screamed, stopping in front of me. "DOES THIS LOOK LIKE NOTHING TO YOU?" She whipped out a chain and a broken-clasped charm I recognized far too well as Rukia from Bleach.

"How did…?" I muttered, realizing it was the same necklace she'd been wearing around for several weeks.

"Never mind that!" she exclaimed, though her voice was noticeably quieter. "This cost me a hundred and fifty bucks!"

"It was an accident!" he nearly pleaded. "I swear! Please don't kill me!"

I smirked, looking back and forth between them. "May I just say," I interrupted, "you two have more sexual tension than Emily and the rest of the school put together."

"WHAT!" they exclaimed in unison.

"Not this again!" Ellis huffed, folding her arms across her chest and practically falling into the chair next to me. Matheus hesitantly got up and sat on the other side of me.

"Yes, this again," I said matter-of-factly. "You two like each other and are too shy," I sent Matheus a pointed look, "and proud," I sent Ellis the same, "to admit it."

"Am not!" he protested.

"You wish," she said, rolling her eyes convincingly enough for anyone but me.

"Right…" I muttered.

"Hey, speaking of Emily," she said, looking at the door. Sure enough, she, Lindsay, and Marissa were coming in, followed by Damian, Samuel, and Bryce.

The Latina caught my eyes and scowled, making me smirk. I got up and walked over to Bryce, making him break off his conversation with the other two boys. Samuel winked before going to sit next to Marissa, with Damian trailing behind him, grinning.

"Hey," the darker boy said, smiling and slipping an arm around my waist.

I smiled back. "Hey." I glanced out of the corner of my eye to make sure Emily was watching before grabbing his collar and pulling him down our short height difference to crash our lips together. As usual, I heard drumbeats instead of seeing fireworks. Fine by me.

I pulled away several seconds later to see him looking surprised, but amused. "What was that for?"

I shrugged, still smiling. "What, I can't say hi to my boyfriend?"

His eyebrows went into his hair, but he shrugged and followed me to where I'd been sitting.

"Alright, one of you has to move," I said to the pair still sitting a seat away from each other. They looked at each other, her looking annoyed and him looking scared, before she finally moved a seat closer to him, making him exhale with relief, knowing this was her way of forgiving.

I sat where Ellis had been sitting and pulled Bryce into the seat next to me, setting my legs across his and gaining the perfect angle to see Emily giving me a death glare.

I grinned, wrapping my arms around his neck. _Well, I definitely have him where I want him now._

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><p><strong>AN: Yeah, interesting character mix... ^^; And yes, I indulged myself a bit. Your point? XP<strong>

***dancing like a fool* BryKynleigh, BryKynleigh, BryKynleigh... (I don't know why I like them so much... Not to self: Write more non-siblingly BryKynleigh. XP)**

**And the Mathellis. ;P**

**Review!**


	16. Starships

**AN: That's right, Katie's writing again~ I actually have half of the next chapter of TMN and the same of Lunar High typed up and will try to get them up tonight. But my muse was sort of dead, so I did one of these.**

**Also, yes, the song fits the beginning and end better. And I switched it from drugs to alcohol. DON'T JUDGE ME. XP**

**Me no own~**

**Pairings: Main Mathellis, mentions of Dameron, Von Pearce, Bremily, and SamKynleigh**

* * *

><p>"Will you put that down?" Ellis exclaimed, yanking a lamp out of Hannah's hands just in time for the older girl to collapse. The younger wasn't sure if she had blacked out or not, but, honestly, she had bigger problems to worry about. For the past hour, she had been running around, making sure no one broke anything, though she didn't understand why it had to be <em>her <em>responsibility, as it wasn't even her house. Granted, her "house" was a dorm room, but that was beside the point. No, they were in Bryce's basement, unsurprisingly, but she felt the need to ensure no one got hurt and the older man, who was currently in the middle of a very heated makeout session with one Maria Emilia Theresa Mendoza Vasquez, didn't wake up to his house being completely trashed.

"El!"

The girl scowled and spun around, eyes automatically focusing on the one person who was both intentionally sitting down and fully clothed. "What? What do you want?" She was struggling to keep herself from growling, though she couldn't help but feel a bit relieved that the one-syllable nickname was relatively clear, especially considering who it was coming from.

He gestured for her to walk over to him and, after a moment's hesitation and quickly glancing around to make sure that everyone else was fairly occupied with each other, she did, plopping down on the floor, next to him, and leaning back against the wall with an annoyed sigh. "Matt, would you mind telling me why I'm the only one sober?" she asked, her voice coming out both annoyed and pissed off as she glared at the drink in his hand.

He raised an eyebrow, amused. "Because you're only twenty?" Much to her relief, there was only a slight slur to his words.

"Alex and Damian are younger than me!" she exclaimed, trying not to be offended. She knew he meant it innocently, but the mention of age, visual or otherwise, always bugged her.

He shrugged. "Well, he's… Alex, and I'm pretty sure that Cameron had something to do with Damo." He gestured over his shoulder, making Ellis look and immediately wince.

"Okay, I didn't just see that," she muttered, now somehow staring a hole into the ground while blinking furiously.

Matheus chuckled. "When you're around them enough, you start to get used to it.

She scoffed, gathering her dignity and calming herself down. "I can imagine." She looked at him, her curiosity finally getting the better of her. "Hey, how come you're so calm? I figured you'd be stripping on the counter by now."

He rolled his eyes. "Geez, you take your shirt off on TV one time and that's all people remember you for," he muttered to himself. He took a swig of his drink before looking back at her while she silently vowed to never show him a fanfiction where he wound up drunk. "Besides, I can actually hold my liquor, unlike half of them."

"Half?" she asked, skeptical. As far as she was concerned, they were all completely gone. Even McKynleigh had Samuel pinned against the wall.

"Yeah, some of them are exaggerating," the smaller boy said simply. "'Some' being Sam, Cam, and Linds. Not sure about Em." He looked at his drink and back up at Ellis like he would have taken a sip if he didn't think she would slap him.

"Why would…?" she started before actually looking around the room and cringing. "Um, nevermind. I think I'm just won't look up anymore." She focused back on him, expecting some crack about how she had an excuse to stare at his face. And she had to admit, it wasn't really a bad thing to have to focus on, but she knew she would wind up rolling her eyes. She always did.

"I feel sorry for you," he said, looking completely serious as he took another swig, putting his partial worry aside.

She looked down at him, surprised. "What's up with you today? You're usually the one bouncing off of the walls."

He scoffed. "I'm drunk, El. Drinking's supposed to make you act the opposite of how you normally are, but I think it really just shows your true colors. Hence everyone hooking up with who they actually like instead of just who's next to them." He glanced around the room, muttered something about Von Pearce, and sighed, looking back down at the drink in his hand. "And that's why, when I drink, I usually drink a lot."

She raised an eyebrow. "Meaning…?"

"Meaning I wanna forget most things that…" He trailed off, shook his head, sighed again, and stared at his drink for a moment before finally setting it off to the side. "Nevermind. Whatever. It's nothing." His repetition made her even more skeptical than she already was, but she wasn't going to push. He looked back up at her, his eyes finally actually meeting hers, making her realize just how dead his were. "Anyway, what about you? You seem more annoyed than usual."

This time she really did roll her eyes, though the action was followed by a heavy sigh.  
>"It's nothing… It's just, um, my boyfriend dumped me this morning, so…" She shrugged like it didn't matter, but looked away and didn't see the confusion on her castmate's face.<p>

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend." His voice was quieter than it had been, which was already uncharacteristically low.

"Yeah, well," she started, trying to sound nonchalant and not noticing the slight disappointment in his voice that he would have covered up much better if he was completely sober. "We were only dating for a few days."

Matheus was silent for a moment before asking, "Did you like him?" His voice seemed to be getting quieter with every line and he knew it was a stupid question. If she didn't like him, why the hell would she have been dating him?

She chuckled half-heartedly. "Not really. He's just… Well, he's the only guy to ever ask me out, you know? I mean, he only did it to get closer to my roommate, so I guess it doesn't count, but…" She trailed off, her eyes on the ground.

Matheus shook his head to himself. "Idiot…" he muttered, simply thinking out loud, luckily quietly enough for her not to hear him. He raised his voice a bit to get her attention. "Hey, El?"

She looked back up at him, only for his mouth to crash into hers. She froze, her eyes widening in shock. It was sloppy and a bit too desperate on his end, but she couldn't help but kiss back, the change in song that she barely noticed somehow fitting the spark that she almost wanted to blame on the alcohol, out of surprise, despite the fact that she was the sober one.

"Yep," she said quietly, breathing a bit too heavily, when he pulled away several moments later. "You're definitely drunk."

He shrugged easily, though he was smiling a bit. "I've wanted to do that for a while now. Being…" He thought for a brief second. "More than a year."

She stared at him in disbelief. He had to be kidding, or confused from the alcohol. "Are you…?"

He nodded, though he was starting to fidget a bit, remembering why he hadn't actually done it before, the fear of her turning him down flat and never talking to him again cutting sharply through his mild haze.

Instead, though, she placed one hand on his shoulder, making him look back up just as she pressed her lips back against his, though it was softer than his kiss – which was her first, if she didn't count the one onstage in We're Not Gonna Take It. Which she didn't, though she had been amused to hear half of her castmates say that she looked like a great kisser. He'd avoided saying anything at the time, but he was definitely agreeing with them now.

"I… sort of have been, too," she admitted as she pulled back. He was silent, completely unsure of what to say. Luckily, she saved him from having to think of anything as she finally heard what song was playing as the music entered the second verse. "Oh, God, this song." She started snickering. "Good thing Alex is down for the count."

"You mean Unique," Matheus corrected, unable to wipe the smile off of his face. The younger boy was currently passed out next to Hannah, but neither of the pair payed him any mind as the older slowly stood up, slightly unsteady on his feet, but quickly adjusting himself and holding out a hand to the girl still sitting against the wall. "You wanna dance?"

She scoffed, though she was still smiling, as well, grabbed it, and pulled herself up. "Of course, Matt."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: OH, LOOK. MATHELLIS. AGAIN. At least I got my muse back. XP<strong>

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